Kelly’s letter about a highlight of Saturday’s Christmas parade got printed in today’s N&O:
There were lots of highlights to Raleigh’s Christmas parade Nov. 22, but for me the best part came early — and from an unexpected quarter. Behind each group of horseback riders walked someone responsible for cleaning up after the horses. Following Raleigh’s mounted police officers was their clean-up crew — a man in an orange safety vest carrying an enormous shovel. He marched all morning, in front of thousands of people, to clean up horse poop.
This gentleman made the most of his morning. He hammed it up. He played to the crowd. His shovel became a microphone, a guitar, a dance partner. He took an unpleasant job and turned it into a stage from which to entertain thousands.
Many people are struggling these days, and the economic outlook continues to be grim. Today, my family got an important reminder about the importance of attitude. There were hearty cheers up and down Fayetteville Street for many of the parade’s performers. I’m not sure any on our block were louder, longer, or more enthusiastic than for the joyful shoveler in the orange vest.Kelly Swanson Turner
Raleigh